Songwriter and Producer, Kid Harpoon has worked on hits with artists like Harry Styles, Florence & the Machine and Maggie Rogers.
In this episode of #SongwriterSaturday with Noteable, we spoke with Kid Harpoon about collaboration, having a good work ethic and not chasing the money.
Bowie (really musician Joshua Woo) sings Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode.
By NELSON TUFFOUR JOSEPH
Dark chocolate is a beloved treat for many people all over the world. This is common knowledge, isn’t it?
Its rich, smooth and indulgent taste is enough to make anyone feel satisfied.
But do you know that it has numerous benefits for your skin?
Studies show that the flavonoids in cocoa products can reduce inflammation and lower LDL cholesterol levels while increasing HDL cholesterol levels. All of these markers improve cardiovascular health.
In fact, you’ll need lots of physical activity to keep fit. But we’ll all agree that vigorous exercises and sweating it out in the gym may not be enough – you’ll need to have a healthy balanced diet as well.
Eating dark chocolate will satisfy your craving and show much love to your skin as well. From reducing signs of aging to improving skin hydration, texture and even more.
Let’s dive in.
Everybody and their mum love dark chocolate. Understandable but it may surprise you to learn that it can also offer some tremendous health benefits. In fact, with its antioxidant properties, dark chocolate has been found to have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and overall wellbeing.
With my experience with cocoa, I would recommend adding dark chocolate into your diet.
First, because it contains flavonoids. These are antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to cells and make you age faster.
Dark chocolate is also high in fiber, magnesium and iron. These essential nutrients aid digestion and provide other essential nutrients.
Hydration is essential for maintaining healthy skin, and dark chocolate can help to improve skin hydration.
Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which help to increase skin moisture levels and improve skin elasticity. This leads to more supple, hydrated and youthful looking skin.
This delicious treat is not only known for its incredible flavor, but it also helps improve your skin hydration.
Great live performers such as musicians know that exercise is essential for peak performance. But there are other benefits to regular exercise on top of improved hand-eye coordination and a better sense of rhythm.
During vigorous aerobic exercises, our bodies produce sweat which helps to flush out toxins from the body. This process helps to keep our skin looking healthy and glowing. Additionally, sweating can help to keep skin properly hydrated by allowing moisture to evaporate quickly when it comes in contact with air. By removing excess oil and dirt from the surface of the skin, sweat also helps promote a clearer complexion overall.
Therefore, as a musician, a balanced workout routine consisting of both cardio and strength training is key for improving overall health as well as keeping your skin hydrated and nourished.
Same as eating dark chocolate. Great chocolate producers understand the importance of healthy and balanced hydration for skin. Always opt for dark chocolates that are made with premium cocoa beans that are naturally rich in antioxidants and polyphenols—all essential nutrients to help improve skin hydration.
Dark chocolates also contain a high percentage of cocoa butter, which helps lock in moisture while adding a smooth texture and rich flavor.
Inflammation is an important part of the body’s response to infection, injury, and other stimuli. Unfortunately, it can also be a major contributing factor to several diseases. Dark chocolate with all its health benefits, may have anti-inflammatory properties as well.
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content can reduce inflammation. This could lead to a healthier skin.
Dark chocolate could help protect your cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals with its antioxidant properties.
Again, eating dark chocolate can help you maintain healthy collagen levels as well which will keep your skin looking elastic, fresh and youthful.
The study concluded that adding dark chocolate into your diet could have a positive effect on overall skin health.
The potential for skin cell regeneration and its relationship to dark chocolate has recently emerged as an interesting area of research. And for good reason.
Scientists have been studying the impact that dark chocolate can have on the growth of skin cells and their ability to regenerate after injury or damage.
Recent studies suggest that the antioxidants found in dark chocolate may help protect the body from sun damage and restore aged skin cells. It also promotes collagen production and improves skin elasticity.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, dark chocolate also contains unique compounds that reduce inflammation associated with acne-prone skin. So your favorite chocolate could help you achieve the healthier looking skin you want.
In fact, in some races such as in the black community who have darker skin, skin cell regeneration might even reduce the risk of certain types of skin cancer. Studies show that people who ate large amounts of dark chocolate had a lower risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma, a type of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Although more research needs to be done in order to prove these theories, preliminary evidence suggests that a diet including moderate amounts of dark chocolate may benefit those seeking healthy looking skin.
Dark circles are a common skin concern that can make you look tired and older than you really are. Dark chocolate contains compounds that can improve skin circulation and reduce the appearance of dark circles.
By incorporating dark chocolate into your daily routine, you can help to reduce the appearance of dark circles and maintain a bright, youthful complexion.
What has been your personal experience with cocoa products and your favorite chocolate recipes over the years?
Do you use any cocoa products for your skin – cocoa butter, etc..?
Note that the evidence that dark chocolate can be beneficial for your skin is compelling. Eating dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher may help to improve skin health, hydration, and complexion.
However, it’s important to remember that the amount of dark chocolate you consume should be moderate. Too much sugar can be counterproductive and lead to other negative health effects.
Love to drink my favorite hot cocoa every morning. Used and sold several cocoa products over the years. As an editor at cocoaness.com and my cocoa farming background, I believe you’re in good hands. Nelson will put some chocolatey smile on your awesome face. My pleasure to serve you – be my guest.
Toronto reminiscent rock trio, Fake Magic released the album Sad Dad, which reflects on all the intricacies and responsibilities of being a man. Particularly a dad. A sad dad.
However, the group – Greg Markham, Bryan Paccagnella and Cory Williams – didn’t limit their inspiration to forlorn fathers. No. The album pays homage to men they’ve known, heard about, or encountered through media representation.
“Good dads. Flawed dads. Dork dads. Stepdads. Substitute dads. Sad dads. Randy Marsh. Homer Simpson. Hank Hill. On the surface, it’s a thumpin’ good time. Below the surface, it’s about ego and acceptance. It’s fun, dark, funny, sincere, and sometimes all of them at once,” the band said.
Sad Dad’s opening track, “Saturday,” recounts the power of getting out of bed to complete a simple task, even if melancholia overwhelms you. The driving guitar and keys inspire the lead vocalist to reclaim a bit of power he has lost.
“Today is the day
That I put on shoes to mow the lawn.
‘Cause its not gonna mow itself.
No, it’s not gonna go down easy.
There’s not gonna be anybody else.
That takes this maintenance seriously.”
With an established character, the narrative expands with each song, unraveling the life of a sad dad. Each of the 13 chapters expounds upon a different, surface-level, and metaphorical theme.
The first single “Begging to be Lonely” is about how slowly time moves when you feel stuck. It comes from Bryan and Greg’s experience growing up in the suburbs of Richmond Hill in the 1990s, dreaming of a life downtown in the big city. This endless wait can lead to depression, excuses, and self-sabotage,” the band said.
The fifth track, “Funkiest Spot,” dips its toes into a jammy funk fest paced with propulsive electric guitar beats and an inquisitive vocal riff, imploring, “Who are you?” This pleading tune encapsulates a feeling of losing yourself. Honing in that desire to return to what makes you happy. A cry for help from a friend.
Future radio hit “Old Days” compasses every high you’ve had with a massive guitar-lick ending, while Sad Dad comes full circle with the final track, “Sit Down.” “That one is a nod to Glen Campbell’s ‘You Better Sit Down Kids,’ following the story of a father sharing parting wisdom with a child following a divorce.”
Sad Dad captures the essence of being a man and what it means to grow older through music. Whether through subtle references or candid lyrics, Fake Magic utilized their experiences to create an honest album of boundless, magical promise. Just like parenting.
On February 18 at Toronto’s ADA Slaight Hall, African Women Acting will be presenting TRACE, the documentary and celebratory project aiming to recognize the work and efforts of seven Black Canadians in diverse sectors including business, entrepreneur, academic, arts and culture, history and philanthropy, as well as front-line workers and more, who have impacted the community with their great accomplishments. Attendance is free and signup is here.
The documentary was Executive Produced by African Women Acting (AWA) & Saimy’s Art, and Produced and Directed by Sonia Aimy, and co-produced by Kennedy Seed Obioha following seven TRACE Honourees:
Rustum Southwell – Nova Scotia – Impactor Of Black Business In Canada. Empowering Black Business Initiatives In Canada
Rosemary Sadlier – Toronto – Custodian Of Black History
Charlene-Rokhaya Jaye – Montreal – Advocate For Women Empowerment & Digital Technology.
Tunde Dawodu– Calgary – Visionary & Promoter Of African Culture & Heritage In Calgary Alberta
Adonis Huggins – Toronto – Community Leader & Advocate For The Development Of Younger Generation
Renee’ Rankine – London – Advocate To End Gun Violence & Visual Artist
Naila Keleta-Mae – University Of Waterloo- A Professor & Founder Of Black And Free/artist.
Schedule of event:
4pm DOORS
5pm VIP Photo Op
6pm Meet & Greet
7pm Entertainment
8pm TRACE Screening
9pm Q&A
10pm END of Program
In addition to the film screening, “TRACE (Tracing Rare African Canadian Extraordinaire)”, the new single from Sonia Aimy, was written and recorded as the theme song for the documentary and celebratory project of the same name. The TRACE project aims to recognize the work and efforts of seven Black Canadians in diverse sectors i.e., business, entrepreneur, academic, arts and culture, history, and philanthropy. The seven TRACE honourees include Adonis Huggins, Charlene Rokhaya-Jaye, Naila Keleta-Mae, Renee Rankine, Rosemary Sadlier, Rustum Southwell, and Tunde Dawodu.
The inspiration for the song comes from the TRACE project itself–the desire to discover true role models who do a lot for their community but do not boast about their actions. The afrobeat genre at its core follows a similar principle; allow the instrumentals to speak to the narrative while the vocals are simply an added flourish. “It inspired me to focus on the musical arrangement that will balance the TRACE beautiful narratives”, says Sonia.
Happy days are here again! EGOT, icon, and THE funny girl herself shares her story — from Brooklyn to Broadway, to Brolin, and everything in between.
Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. In My Name Is Barbra, she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career, from growing up in Brooklyn to her first star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) to the long string of successes in every medium in the years that followed. The book is, like Barbra herself, frank, funny, opinionated, and charming. She recounts her early struggles to become an actress, eventually turning to singing to earn a living; the recording of some of her acclaimed albums; the years of effort involved in making Yentl; her direction of The Prince of Tides; her friendships with figures ranging from Marlon Brando to Madeleine Albright; her political advocacy; and the fulfillment she’s found in her marriage to James Brolin.
No entertainer’s memoir has been more anticipated than Barbra Streisand’s, and this engrossing and delightful book will be eagerly welcomed by her millions of fans.
In this episode Sting and Dominic Miller talk about the magic of The Beatles and their optimism for the future of music.
Hell has never sounded this good. “Welcome To The Hell,” the new single by the eclectic Regina, SK-based pop maestro known as nasmore, taps into his unique sonic formula: an amalgam of stadium rock, goth-industrial textures, modern R&B and cinematic scores.
Like most nasmore singles, it’s a collaboration. Returning to the nasmore fold is guitarist Neil Taylor, best known for his work with Tears for Fears in the mid-’80s and Robbie Williams in the early 2000s. New to nasmore is an operatic pop singer from Italy, La Strange. On this lively, edgy and stark single, Taylor lashes out with gritty vocals and fierce guitar licks that perfectly mingle with La Strange’s beautiful and yet powerful voice. This is a no-brainer for fans of artists like Paramore and Dua Lipa, to mention only a couple.
In nasmore’s own words, “Some songs make you cry, and some songs you skip forward, and then there are songs that immerse you into their world, putting a sarcastic smile on your face and dragging your mind to visit dark places—like Hell, for example. Just for a day? Stay in a hotel situated by the burning sea of lava with a nice view of torture and punishment. Most of us humans do not require a reservation. Just come pick your nightmare.”
nasmore aims to be a role model: an example for all the dreamers and everyone who is committed to living a life with creative fulfillment, everyone who follows their passion, no matter what. He is a true artist and catalyst who brings so many different talents together with his frequent collaborations. He grew up in Canada, with instruments surrounding him, fully immersed in music of all kinds while teaching himself the fundamentals and writing his own songs. With an adventurous spirit, a tremendous natural skillset, and the courage to experiment, nasmore developed an authentic taste for diversity that he infused into his own unique process.
In 2021-22 he released a series of stunning singles, recruiting guest stars along the way. The collaborative process soon became an essential and joyous part of his creative realm. nasmore seamlessly blends all the best elements of pop, hip-hop, indie rock, R&B, and classical music, in a sound that can be eccentric and moody, romantic, and lovely, or dark, intense, eerie, and poignant. His music is inspired by Imagine Dragons, Billie Eilish, Tommee Proffitt, League of Legends soundtrack, The Weeknd, Scorpions, Metallica, Aerosmith, Hans Zimmer.
Fed up with lies from his partner, Oshawa, ON singer/songwriter Mark Wihlidal puts his faith in Karma on his new single “You and Me,” following his joyous debut single, “Life Can Be A Mystery” released in July 2022. Both songs were written and recorded collaboratively with his band, Mark Wihlidal and The Doctors of Music.
The band takes us on a “Bo Diddley bluesy” trip of a relationship that has gone wrong with the hope that Karma will balance everything out.
“You can run but, you can’t hide
Karma will get you every time
You can’t hide those little lies
It will catch you from behind”
What goes around comes around is the underlying theme throughout his new single, as Wihlidal points out: “I truly believe that Karma, like in the chorus, keeps things in balance. I believe that good things will happen to those who do good and will eventually catch up with those who do things that are not so good.”
“You and Me” came to be in the Summer of 2022 when Mark and his bandmates were trying to record a home studio song. After Mark left the studio and went back home, he found new guitar riffs perfect for the verse and chorus. The very next day, he took it to lead guitarist, Steve Bekessy, who added his own flavour with some electrifying guitar riffs of his own that can be heard throughout the track.
When Mark was writing the chorus for “You and Me, it was originally intended to be about his experience with a previous employer in the private sector. He witnessed employees being mistreated and wanted to see that company face reckoning, “You can run, but you can’t hide. Karma will get you every time.”
After the verses got worked out, it became clear to Mark that “You and Me” is about a relationship that has gone wrong as the lyrics on the track point out – “You left me standing here, leading my mind into nowhere.”
The soulful blues/rock singer recently seen in the major daily newspapers from Oshawa to Niagara Falls including top-ranked music sites like Tinnitist, Canadian Beats, Cashbox, Record World and more, drives this message home as he says: “I think a lot of people have been in this situation, a relationship is going great and suddenly, it’s over or they are gone. This situation leaves you confused and wondering what happened. Again, the chorus makes the whole song relevant as we all hope that Karma will fix these kinds of things.”
Powerful vocals accompanied by heartfelt acoustic expressions are what make Vancouver’s Tissa Rahim’s newest single, “Done, Done, Done” such a gem.
Tissa’s emotional dumping about a one-way relationship comes off as an authentic and empowering anthem as a slew of seasoned musicians paint the canvas for a soulful retelling.
Featuring Berlin’s own Dominique Fricot, Tissa and Dominique approach the idea of processing heartbreak and manipulation, bringing each respective artist’s own experiences into the studio as they produced this smashing retro-soul single. Tissa’s vocals on “Done, Done, Done” can be affectionately compared to the love child of Amy Winehouse and Corrine Bailey Rae’s stylizations.
Tissa is known as the Persian Powerhouse, but more appropriately as the established West Coast musician with a 40-city North American tour under her belt. With a slew of venues under her belt, Tissa has seen stages such as House of Blues in New Orleans, The Gramercy Theater in New York, and Vancouver’s quintessential jazz and soul club, Guilt and Co.
Recently listed as 24 Magazine’s “24 under 24,” Tissa’s collaborators include producers such as 100 Monkey’s Jackson Rathbone. As a solo artist, Tissa has found a unique ability to express herself freely, exploring Tissa’s natural divination in Soul/R&B, infusing it with traditional Persian music – repeating a generations-long family tradition.
Since 2019, Rahim has built up an enticing catalog as a solo artist, consisting of digital releases, videos, and collaborations with artists in Vancouver and beyond. Fresh off of a West Coast tour, Tissa is back in the studio recording original music, funded by Creative BC, FACTOR, and SOCAN.
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Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.
Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com
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